Brandon Hill: North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year

One of the greatest entrepreneurs in the world, Walt Disney, said, “Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect.” And that’s exactly what Brandon Hill, North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year, is doing.

Brandon is the owner of Gimmzi Smart Rewards, an online program that offers rewards to consumers and supports local businesses.  Brandon explained, “From a consumer standpoint, all you have to do is download the app through either Google Play Store or Apple.  It’s a point-based system where the points are currency. Consumers earn points and, in turn, use those points to redeem deals and discounts at local businesses. Businesses who sign up with us host coupons such as percentage off, dollar off, and even BOGO offers. Also, they can host what we call digital punch cards where consumers can use to earn points. You know like, buy five ice cream cones and get the sixth for free or spend $100 on accessories and get the $15 off you next order. You can take the points to other businesses, they cross over.  It’s very important to me to support small, local businesses.”

Gimmzi, which launched this year, started out as a conversation among friends about the benefits and perks of home ownership. Some of the friends in the conversation were living in apartments, arguing that not all people want to be homeowners. But they highlighted that their choice of living space did not afford them some of the same cost saving opportunities that their homeowner friends had. That didn’t seem right to Brandon.

“I had a quiet epiphany,” he said. “I realized that I could do something for the local economy, small businesses and consumers. The timing and the market were perfect for what I had in mind.   At that point, my focus was apartment residents so after I started to develop the app, I named it ‘Renters Advantage Plus.’  That didn’t really describe what the app could become over time, so I played around with the term, “gimme.”   That morphed into “Gimmzi,” and my company was born.  It worked for apartment residents—developers and management companies could offer residents points every month based on marketing initiatives.”

Brandon continued, “We have a travel and tourism component that gives travel partners points based on the number of nights they book at participating lodges or resorts. For example, if you travel from Charleston to Oak Island, you can scan a QR code in your vacation listing, use your points and go to early adopters today like Doodles Market and Convenience and Throwbaxe Axe House and Board Game Lounge and get deals and discounts from their locations. Both family-owned, locally loved and go-to destinations in Oak Island and Southport. We call it living like a local.”

Brandon explained how this concept is a win/win for consumers and businesses. “Gimmzi is different from that big bulky envelope homeowners get with coupons in it.  We offer businesses a target marketing approach to soliciting new customers.  When you buy into a traditional coupon-based program, the only thing you can hope for is that some of the coupons will fall into the hands of someone that can use them.  For the most part, you just don’t know what works.  Paper coupons are expensive and difficult to track in terms of effectiveness.  Gimmzi is all digital.  We give you a number of ways to present your deals and discounts to your customers. Those bulk coupon mailings typically don’t go to apartments—and look at how many apartments there are in this area.  Look at how many people could potentially use your product, but they don’t know you are out there. Businesses, especially small businesses, need to use every advantage they can to promote their products and services.”

It’s really not surprising that Brandon was selected as Entrepreneur of the Year. He names Reginald Lewis, the first African American to build a billion-dollar company, and Steve Jobs as people who have inspired him, but it’s his parents who get the credit for influencing his life choices and dreams.

“My father was in construction for over 40 years,” Brandon said. “He woke up every day and provided for his family and still does to this day.  No excuses, you worked to take care of yourself and your family.  He instilled a work ethic in me that is vital to who I am today.  I needed that direction.   Equally, there is my mother, she was ahead of her time in terms of finding ways for us to be exposed to things available outside of the neighborhood and beyond.  She focused on education.  A ‘C’ on your report card was not acceptable. You could do better.  She worked the other side of our brains to become movers in this complex world.  That’s what made me who I am, and I want to pass that same work ethic and opportunities to my own children.”

Brandon’s voice reflects pride when he talks about his children. “Kiera attends UNCG and wants to be a pediatrician.  My son Brandon is 17 and attends South Brunswick High School.  Like most kids his age, he’s trying to figure out what he wants to do.  They are both great kids.  I also have another son, Bash, who just turned one in July.  He is my number one sales guy.  People just can’t resist him.”   The other important person in Brandon’s life is his fiancée, Cherell, who has supported the concept and the hard work it took to make Gimmzi a reality.

Brandon also gives credit to the success of Gimmzi to his team of software developers and engineers.  “I am the one-man founder and CEO, but I have some really talented people working with me,” he said.   

As if raising a family and starting a business wasn’t enough, Brandon is an Ambassador of the Oak Island/Southport Chamber Commerce, a board member of the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce, an Ambassador with Port City Young Professionals, and a business mentor for District C, a non-profit organization that empowers high school students through real-world problem solving, collaborative thinking, and entrepreneurial skill-building.  He is also a “C level” mentor for Genesis Block’s incubator program, a non-profit organization that helps minority businesses grow.

“I help with tech stuff,” Brandon said. “I like the energy of helping others.  You get to see dreams and the spark in people’s eyes when they want to pursue those dreams.  When you are a small business, you may have the energy to be successful, but you still have to get over the hump of consistently getting people in your store.  I see this daily—small businesses have to be really creative in attracting new customers.

“It’s so important to support small, local businesses,” he continued. “I believe in that. I believe that we have to slow down the large corporate takeover that happens in communities all around us.  I believe in the corner store concept, do business with your neighbor — the one you know and the person who knows you and your family. “

Brandon is originally from a small neighborhood called Pine Crest, near Calabash.  He laughed and said, “I’m one of the few locals around.”  But his voice shifted when he talked about being selected as the Entrepreneur of the Year. “I am extremely honored and grateful to be recognized.  The community has seen us start from the ground and grow.  I want to add value to the community and make local businesses shine.  I want to continue to improve the concept of my company and use local communities to refine it.  I want to make it easier to the consumer and the business owner to come together.  I’m hoping to expand our travel and tourism initiative into the Asheville, Raleigh and Charlotte markets then push for national growth, but that growth will depend on how quickly we can get feedback from users.”

Every once in a while, doing the job of reporting, you meet an exceptional individual.  Someone who goes out of their way to make a difference for others, and that sums up Brandon Hill.

His message to future entrepreneurs is, “Never give up.  There’s always something else that is awaiting around the corner of struggle.  Continue to push, continue to believe and have faith that any and all situations can come out with a positive outcome.”

If you are a small business owner or a smart consumer looking for great deals,  visit http://www.gimmzi.com, or call (844) 444-6694. Businesses should go to the “Become a Partner” dropdown menu and schedule a demo.  Do it now during the early start-up phase and start to reap your rewards.